Photographic processes and devices



June 1962 I. ERLICHMAN 3,037,670

PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES AND DEVICES Filed Dec. 15, 1955 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS June 5, 1962 I, ERLICHMAN 0 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES AND DEVICES Filed Dec. 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 \Hll I I lIIHl i I 48 42 :1 46 fig-'7" 5O 66 as 52 62\/ 44 FIG. 3

M BY 15621! ATTORNEYS June 5, 1962 1. ERLICHMAN 3,037,670

PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES AND DEVICES Filed Dec. 15, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet :s

- INVENTOIEK ATTORNEYS 3,037,670 PHOTGGRAPHIC PRQCESSES AND DEVltIES Irving Erlichman, Naticlr, Mass, assignor to Polaroid (Iorporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Dela- Ware Filed Dec. 15, 1955, Ser. No. 553,287 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-80) This invention relates to photography and particularly to novel photographic processes and products for dispensing and spreading a fluid on a sheet.

There have been disclosed many photographic processes which may be effected by spreading a fluid in a uniformly thin layer on a surface of a sheet, preferably be tween said sheet and another sheet superposed therewith, and a variety of processes and products have been proposed for supplying and dispensing this fluid and for spreading the fluid between a pair of superposed sheets. The fluid, for example, may be supplied in one or more rupturable containers positioned between the sheets and advanced with the sheets between a pair of pressure-applying members which function to rupture the container causing release of its fluid contents, and to cause the distribution of the fluid between the sheets; or the fluid may be introduced between the sheets from a more or less permanent container. The many problems presented by either of these methods are discussed in copending application Serial No. 552,605, filed July 18, 1955, in the name of Edwin H. Land, together with a novel process and product, based on still another concept, for dispensing and spreading the processing fluid, which not only eliminates these problems but provides many added advantages. The aforementioned application describes a process (and product) embodying the concept of providing a photographic fluid in a container adapted to be withdrawn longitudinally in the direction of one of its ends from between a pair of sheets and, during withdrawal, is progressively compressed to cause its fluid contents to be discharged between the sheets in an elongated mass extending across the sheets. Thereafter a sandwich is formed by spreading this mass of fluid in a thin layer between the sheets transversely of the direction in which the container has been withdrawn and, since discharge of the fluid is accompanied by ridding the sandwich of the container, spreading of the fluid between the sheets may be accomplished by advancing the sheets between a pair of pressure-applying members of fixed gap, for example merely the longitudinal edges of a slot.

In the present invention a piston or closure element is located within the container at a position remote from the end of the container through which the fluid is ejected. The piston is held stationary with respect to the sheets and the container is advanced longitudinally toward and in surrounding relation to the piston for causing the fluid to be ejected from the trailing end of the container in an elongated mass. The present invention is additionally advantageous in that complete discharge of all of the container contents is assured without the necessity for complete compression of the walls of the container and allows for a more accurate predetermination or estimation of the exact amount of fluid which must be supplied in a container with subsequent saving in materials and reduction in size and cost of the container.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a product including a photographic fluid in an elongated container one end of which is provided with a closed mouth through which, when opened, said fluid is ejected in an elongated mass in response to longitudinal movement of said container in surrounding relation to a closure element initially located within said container at a position remote from said mouth.

Another object of the invention is to perform the proc- 3,fl37,fi7fi Patented June 5, 1962 ess of ejecting a photographic fluid in an elongated mass from an elongated container superposed on a first sheet by advancing the container in its direction of elongation toward and in surrounding relation to a closure element initially positioned within said container remote from the trailing end of said container and removing said container from said sheet, and spreading the fluid between the first sheet and a second sheet in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the mass in order to form a thin layer of fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a photographic assemblage comprising at least a photosensitive sheet, a container of the foregoing type removably associated with the photosensitive sheet and a piston movably located within said container adjacent one edge of said sheet and retained against substantial movement with respect to said sheet.

Still other objects of the invention are: to provide a photographic product comprising an elongated fluid-filled container closed at one end, a piston movably located within said container at a position remote from said closed end, and an elongated filament connected with said piston and extending within said container beyond said closed end whereby said filament may be retained for holding said piston stationary during movement of said container in the direction of its elongation away from said closed end; and to provide a photographic product comprising an elongated tubular container, at first closure in one extremity of said container, a second closure movably positioned within said container at a location remote from said first closure, and a filament-like connecting member extending within said container for holding said first and second closures stationary with respect to one another during longitudinal movement of said container.

Gther objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation and order of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the product possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claim.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exaggerated perspective view of a photographic assemblage comprising a pair of sheets and a container of photographic fluid embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a camera embodying the present invention and adapted to be employed in conjunction with the assemblage of FIG. 1, the elements of the camera being shown in inoperative position and the section being taken generally midway between the sides of the camera;

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, illustratin the assemblage undergoing one step in the process of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an exaggerated, fragmentary, sectional view of the photographic film assemblage of FIG. 1 in operative relation with elements of the camera of FIG. 3 and illustrating another step in the process of the invention, the section being taken substantially midway between the sides of the assemblage and camera;

FIG. 6 is an exaggerated perspective view, partially in section, of another photographic film assemblage embodying the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the assemblage of FIG. 6 operatively associated with a camera, the section being taken substantially midway between the sides of the camera and the ends of the assemblage;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the assemblage of FIG. 6 taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of another form of container embodying the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, partially in section, of still another form of the container.

The process and product of the present invention are suitable for effecting a variety of photographic processes; for example, a photosensitive stratum on one of a pair of sheets may be developed by a processing fluid spread between it and the other sheet. Here, spreading may be effected after photoexposure to develop an existing image or before photoexposure so that a latent image formed immediately thereafter is developed spontaneous- 1y. Alternatively, a photosensitive fluid may be spread between the sheets in the presence of a developer to provide a stratum which, when photoexposed shortly after being formed, receives a latent image that is developed spontaneously. Thereafter, the sheets may be stripped apart, for example, to separate the layer of fluid from a print so formed or may be maintained in superposed relation to provide the print with a protective covering. This invention is particularly applicable to processes of the silver transfer type, for example, wherein a photoexposed silver halide stratum is treated between two sheets by a silver halide developer and a silver halide solvent. The reagents reduce exposed silver halide to silver and react with unreduced silver halide to form a soluble silver complex which in turn is reduced to silver in a silver-receptive environment. This silver-receptive environment may be interspersed with the silver halide or supported on either of the two sheets. The positive print so formed may be retained permanently between the sheets or may be supported on one of the sheets and the sheets stripped apart to separate the silver halide from the silver-receptive environment.

Generally an assemblage of photographic elements for effecting the process of the present invention comprises a pair of sheets superposed or adapted to be superposed with one another. In a preferred use of such a film unit, a silver halide composition is subjected between the sheets to a silver halide developer and a silver halide solvent in order to effect silver-transfer-reversal. In practice, one or more of these materials are made available at any of a variety of locations in the film unit, for example dispersed in dry condition on one or both of the sheets. The arrangement is such that the developer and solvent do not act on the silver halide composition until an aqueous fluid, which may or may not contain one or more of these materials, is spread between the sheets. One or both of the sheets may be opaque or transparent, depending on the conditions under which the assemblage is to be stored and employed, whether or not the assemblage is to be maintained in a nonactinic environment before and after exposure, whether photoexposure is to be effected before or after spreading of the processing fluid, whether the sheets are to be retained together or stripped apart after processing, and whether a print formed between the sheets is to be viewed by transmitted or reflected light. The sheets may be either flexible or rigid and may be either elongated and include a plurality of areas adapted to be superposed with one another and processed by a layer of fluid spread therebetween, or relatively short, each comprising a single area adapted to be processed by a layer of fluid spread between it and the other sheet.

A typical assemblage of photographic elements for effecting the present invention is designated at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings and comprises a pair of sheets 12 and 14 located in superposition and an elongated container 16 (shown in detail in FIG. 2) carrying a predetermined quantity of a photographic fluid 18. Container 16 is located between the sheets preferably adjacent and parallel with one edge of the sheets so that the leading end 20 of the container projects beyond one of the longitudinal edges of the sheets, while the trailing end 22 of the container may or may not project beyond the superposed longitudinal edges of the sheets. Leading end 20 of the container provides means at which the container may be manually grasped and trailing end 22 is provided with an initially closed mouth. A closure element in the form of a piston 24 is located within the portion of the container adjacent leading end 20 and projecting beyond the edges of the sheets. Leading end 20 of the container may be closed or provided with a closure in addition to the closure formed by piston 24.

A container embodying the invention is in the form of an elongated tube having closed ends one of which, when opened as the container is moved with respect to the piston toward the other end, discharges the fluid from the tube in the form of an elongated mass. The medial sections of the tube are preferably circular and the circumference of the inner surface of the tube is substantially constant throughout the length of at least its medial section and trailing end section so that the piston makes a liquid-tight contact with the inner wall of the container at all times. The cross-sectional shape of the container is not necessarily circular and may be oblate, elliptic, etc. so long as the circumference of its inner surface is substantialy constant and equal to the circumference of the piston. Although the tube is preferably fabricated of a material having suflicient tensile strength to resist stretching or padding as a result of tension on the container or a build-up of hydraulic pressure within the fluid, the tensile strength of the material is not critical inasmuch as, in most embodiments of the invention, little tension is exerted on the medial portion of the container and only negligible hydraulic pressure is generated within the fluid.

Generally the fluid should be viscous so that it can be readily controlled after being discharged, i.e., so that it will not flow freely of its own accord from the elongated mass which it assumes when it is first discharged from the container. It has been found that the fluid should have a viscosity of at least centipoises at a temperature of 20 C. This viscosity should be at most 200,000 centipoises at a temperature of 20 C. if the fluid is to be readily spread from the elongated mass between the sheets. For best results, the fluid-containing cavity of the container is approximately as long as the edge of the photographic frame with which it is aligned. The elongated mass to be spread on the photographic frame of ordinary dimensions to form a layer of acceptable thickness and continuity is best supplied from a container having an elongated cavity, the maximum diameter of which is no greater than one-fifteenth of its length.

As indicated above, photosensitive and processing materials in whole or in part may be incorporated in fluid 18 or distributed on one or both of the contiguous surfaces of sheets 12 and 14 to make practicable a variety of photographic processes in addition to the preferred silver transfer-reversal process. For example, one of the photosensitive ferric salts or diazonium compounds may be dispersed on the surface of sheet 12 and fluid 18 may incorporate an appropriate coupler that differentiates between exposed and unexposed ferric salts to form visible reduction products or that differentiates between exposed and unexposed diazonium compounds to form visible dyes. Fluid 18 may, in one form, include photosensitizing materials such as an optical sensitizer for altering the spectral sensitivity or a sensitizer for increasing the speed of the dispersed photosensitive material. A more specific description of developing agents, photosensitizing agents and photosensitive materials suitable for incorporation into fluid 18 or for dispersion in one of sheets 12 and 14 is given in the aforementioned application of Edwin H. Land or in copending application Serial No. 299,358, filed July 17, 1952 in the name of Edwin H. Land. In accordance with the present invention, two or more of the developing agents, photosensitizing agents and photosensitive materials referred to above may be carried separately in one or more compartments provided by one or more containers.

Film assemblages may be provided including a single container with two or more compartments or cavities or two or more containers positioned adjacent one another and associated with one edge of the area over which the fluid contents of the compartments or containers are to be spread.

Photographic assemblage is in the form of a film unit specifically designed to effect a silver transfer-reversal process. Sheet 12, hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive sheet, preferably comprises an opaque support and a silver halide stratum, sheet 14, hereinafter referred to as a print-receptive sheet, includes an opaque support and a silver-receptive stratum, and rfiuid 13 comprises an alkaline aqueous solution of a silver halide developer and a silver halide solvent. Further examples of photographic materials useful in this type of film unit are described in detail in Patent No. 2,543,181, issued to Edwin H. Land on February 27, 1951. The film unit is provided with sheets 12 and 14 sealed together along their margins by a suitable adhesive and/ or by an opaque binding tape so as to shield the silver halide stratum from ambient light and yet permitting the edges of the sheets to be separated in the exposure chamber of a camera to permit photoexposure of the silver halide. In order to permit the sheets to be stripped apart readily for photoexposure, the end of sheet 14 which is to enter the camera first is reversely bent to provide a lip 26 which, although sealed to one end of sheet 12, may be readily separated therefrom. While separated within the exposure chamber of a. camera or other photographic apparatus, the sheets are maintained in alignment by a hinge 28 joining the ends of sheets 12 and 14. The type of film unit shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings is designed for use in a camera of the type shown in FIG. 3, to be described in detail below.

Sheets 12 and 14 are composed of a paper at least one surf-ace of which has been sized with a material such as hardened gelatin baryta in plastic. Alternatively, the sheets are composed of a plastic material which may be transparent, for example cellulose nitrate or an organic cellulose ester such as cellulose acetate. Both sheets are opaque, that is, capable of absorbing ordinary ambient light of the wavelengths actinic to the silver halide stratum on sheet 12 in order to prevent light from striking the photosensitive material.

The ends of container 16 are closed, for example, by a pair of clips 30 and 32 or, as shown in FIG. 2, by pinching the end of the tube together and securing the inner surfaces of the container wall to one another. The tubing comprising the container may be formed of paper,- metallic foil, plastic material, or of a multi-ply material which is impervious to the fluid contents of the container, and may be manufactured by any convenient method, for example extrusion of the plastic material.

As indicated above, a film unit of the type shown in FIG. 1 is designed for use in a camera of the type shown in FIG. 3. Generally in response to a single movement of a film unit into the camera, the sheets 12 and 14 are separated so that the photosensitive stratum on sheet 12 may be photoexposed. After photoexposure, in response first to withdrawal of the container from between the sheets, the fluid is ejected in the form of an elongated mass lying transversely of the sheets. Thereafter the fluid is spread between the sheets in the form of a thin layer as the film unit is removed from the camera, the sheets being sealed together by the layer of fluid to provide a lighttight processing chamber in which a positive print is formed. At the end of this period, the sheets may be stripped to uncover the positive print. The camera comprises a housing 34 at the front of which is a lens and shutter mechanism 36 and at the rear of which is a rear wall 38 detachable from the remainder of the housing to provide access, when desired, to its interior. A view finder 40 is shown at the top of the housing. The lower portion of the housing comprises a lower wall 42 disposed obliquely to rear wall 38 and providing, at the juncture of the two walls, a lighttight passage 44- through which the frangibly secured leading ends of the sheets of film unit 10 are to be introduced. The housing includes an intermediate wall 46 disposed adjacent lower wall 42 and defining, in conjunction therewith, a chamber 48. The rear end portion of intermediate wall 46 comprises a scoop or wedge 50 which projects into passage 44 and cooperates with grooves 52 at opposite sides of the camera to separate the leading ends of the sheets as they are advanced into the camera. Wedge 50 includes a sharpenededge 54 adapted to extend between the leading ends of the sheets and exert initial force required to separate lip 26 from the end of sheet 12 to which it is bonded. Grooves 52 receive the longitudinal edges of sheet 12 which may, if desired, overlap the lOIJgitLldl-e nal edges of sheet 14. Grooves 52 preferably extend across the back of the camera so as to properly position photosensitive sheet 12 for exposure, while scoop 50, together with intermediate wall 46, function to guide sheet 14 into chamber 48 wherein it is maintained during photoexposure of the photosensitive sheet.

When film unit 10 has been advanced into the camera as far .as possible, container 16 and the trailing edges of the sheets become positioned within a pressure-applying device generally designated at 56 and now to be described. Pressure-applying device 55 includes a rearward sheet metal element 53 and'a forward sheet metal element 60. Housing 34 mounts opposed pins 62 which project into opposed slots in element 58 to permit slidable and pivotal movement, and into opposed openings in element 60 to permit pivotal movement only. Elements 58 and 60 have open positions shown in FIG. 3 and closed positions at which the elements are locked together by a pair of detents, one of which is shown at 64-, and a pair of notches 66. The opposed slots in element 58 permit detents 64'. to ride over the edge of element 60 when the elements are locked together or unlocked. Suitable means, such as springs, normally bias element 58 downwardly as viewed in FIG. 3. When closed, pressureapplying device 56 provides a pair of pressure-applying surfaces 68 and 70 between which the ends of sheets 12 and 14 extend. Pressure-applying device 55 further includes a notch 72 in one end wall of element 58 which cooperates with element 66, when the elements are in closed position, to form a slot through which the end section 22 of container 16 is movable, yet of a width insufiicient to permit the movement of clip 32 so as to remove clip 32 from the container as the container is withdrawn from the pressure-applying device transversely of the sheets through an opening provided in the end of said device opposite notch 66.

After sheet 12 is photoexposed to actinic light through lens and shutter mechanism 36, the leading end of container 16 is manually grasped and the container is with drawn from between the sheets within the pressureapplying device in order to distribute an elongated mass of fluid 18 transversely of the sheets. Now when the leading end of the film unit is manually grasped and sheets 12 and 14 are withdrawn from between pressureapplying surfaces 68 and 70, fluid 18 is spread from the elongated mass between the sheets to perform a silver transfer-reversal process. As the film unit emerges from the camera, the sheets are sealed together by the layer of fluid 18 being formed in order to shield once again the photosensitive stratum now being processed. After a predetermined processing period during which a positive print is formed in the silver-receptive stratum of sheet 14, the sheets are stripped apart to uncover the positive print.

In order to elfect the distribution of the fluid from the container in an elongated mass between and across the sheets as the container is withdrawn, means must be provided for holding piston 24 substantially stationary with respect to the sheets during movement of the container. In the form of film unit shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, piston '24 is connected to clip 32 by a fine thread or filament 74 extending within the cavity and secured to clip 32. Filament 74 is as fine as possible, consistent with sufiicient tensile strength to resist breaking or stretching during movement of piston 24 with respect to the walls of container 16, and may be formed, for example, of metal or animal or vegetable fiber which is compatible with the processing liquid. Thus, as the container is withdrawn from between the sheets, clip 32 is retained by notch 72, filament 74- in turn retains piston 24 stationary with respect to clip 32 and the sheets, and trailing end 22 of the container opens to form a discharge mouth, as it is dis engaged from clip 32, through which fluid 18 is ejected. Piston 24 fits tightly, although slidably, within container 16 and may also be slightly expandible so as to insure the complete discharge of the fluid contents of the container.

As described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, fluid 18 is adapted to be ejected from container 16 and then to be spread between sheets 12 and 14 by pressureapplying means mounted on the camera. However, it may be desirable to provide such a fihn unit with a disposable pressure-applying device in order to simplify the camera by eliminating its permanent pressure-applying means. Such a pressure-applying device associated with the film unit may be so simple in construction as to be disposable following employment to process the film unit with which it is provided and may comprise, for example, a simple rigid plate with an elongated slot of predetermined width through which the sheets are withdrawn from the camera or two or more rigid elements secured together so as to form a slot or passage through which the sheets may be moved in superposition. For a showing of typical devices of this type, reference is made to the aforementioned Land application Serial No. $22,605.

It is also desirable at times to provide a film unit with a device of the type adapted to perform a variety of functions including retaining the sheets with their leading ends initially spaced apart with the container positioned transversely therebetween, to separate the sheets and hold the container stationary during introduction of the sheets into a camera, to couple with the camera for preventing admission of light into the camera during introduction, exposure and withdrawal of the sheets, to cause the ejection of the fluid from the container during withdrawal of the container from the film unit, and to cause the spreading of the fluid in a layer between the sheets. Devices of this type are described in copending applications Serial No. 538,152, filed October 3, 1955 in the name of Edwin H. Land and Serial No. 538,048, filed October 3, 1955 in the name of Irving Erlichman.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 through 8 of the drawings wherein there is shown a film unit, including a device of the above type indicated at 78, adapted to eject a fluid from a container with the aid of a piston positioned and held stationary within the container. The film unit comprises, in addition to device 78, a photosensitive sheet 80 and a print-receptive sheet 82 secured at their margins in superposed relation. Device 78 comprises a pair of side walls 84 joined by end walls 86 and 87 and defining a passage 88 within which the leading ends of sheets 80 and 82 are initially positioned and through which the sheets are movable. Passage 88 includes a narrow section defined by portions 90 of walls 84 positioned relatively close together and a substantially wider section defined by other portions 92 of walls 84 positioned further apart. An elongated container 94, in accordance with the invention, is positioned within the wider section of the passage between wall portions 92 and between the leading ends of sheets 80 and 82 extending transversely of the sheets.

A camera with which the film unit is adapted to be employed is of the general type shown in FIG. 3 and includes a rear wall 96, side wall 98 and an intermediate wall 100, the side and rear walls forming a passage 102 at their juncture. The rear end section 104 of intermediate wall 160 extends into passage 102 for guiding the print-recep tive element of the film unit into a chamber between intermediate wall 180 and side wall 98 so as to position the print-receptive sheet apart from the photosensitive sheet during exposure of the latter.

Device 78 is adapted to be coupled with the camera and for this purpose is provided with a pair of dovetail flanges 186 extending laterally from portions 92 of side walls 84 and adapted to be slidably engaged in corresponding dovetail grooves or channels 108 formed in rear wall 96 and side wall 98 on opposite sides of passage 102. The device is coupled with the camera by slidably introducing flanges 186 into grooves 108 and suitable means may be provided on the camera housing for retaining device 7 8 against sliding movement when coupled with the camera.

Sheets and 82 are introduced into the camera by pushing them through device 78 and their longitudinal margins are separated within the device by a pair of tapered pins 110 secured to end walls 86 and 87 within the wider portion of passage 38 and projecting toward one another between the longitudinal margins of the sheets. Thus, as the sheets are introduced into the camera, they are separated at their margins and are advanced in a separated condition along opposite sides of container 94, thereby eliminating the necessity for means within the camera for separating the sheets from one another.

Container 94, in the form shown, comprises a rounded tube formed by bonding the longitudinal margins 111 of an elongated sheet together with their inner surfaces in facing relation. The trailing end of container 94 which forms the discharge mouth is positioned in an opening 99 in end wall 87 and is closed by a plug 112 secured within opening 99 and projecting into the container in closing relation thereto. The leading end 114 of container 94 projects beyond end wall 86 through an opening 116 formed therein. A core or piston 118 is positioned within opening 116 in closing relation thereto and is supported within opening 116 by a short and narrow connecting member 120. Piston 118 cooperates with opening 116 to form an annular opening through which the wall of container 94 projects, piston 118 being located in closing relation to the container and connecting member 120 extending between margins 111 of the sheet forming the container.

In the operation of a film unit, after the sheets have been introduced into the camera and photoexposure of the photosensitive sheet has been made, container 94 is manually grasped by its leading end 114 projecting through opening 116 in end wall 86 of device 78 and is withdrawn from the device through the opening transversely of the sheets. As the container is withdrawn from the film unit, the trailing end is disengaged from plug 112 and piston 118, which is fixed with respect to the device and the sheets, functions to cause the ejection of the fluid contents of the container in an elongated mass across the sheets. As longitudinal margins 111, initially sealed together, are drawn against connecting member 120, they are stripped apart to permit the withdrawal of the container from the film unit. Portions 90 of side walls 84, as heretofore mentioned, are spaced comparatively close together so as to provide a gap through which the sheets are wtihdrawn from the camera for superposing the sheets and spreading the elongated mass of processing fluid in a uniformly thin layer between the sheets to form a sandwich.

Another form of container adapter to use in the film unit of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings and comprises an elongated tube 122 of rounded cross section formed of two elongated strips of liquid-impervious sheet material with the inner surfaces of their longitudinal marginal portions 124 bonded together in facing 9 relation. Secured around a portion of tube 122 adjacent its leading end is a die 126 having a core 128 mounted in closing relation within the tube by a pair of support mem bers 130 which extend between marginal portions 124 of the tube. Die 126 may comprise the end wall of a device of the type shown in FIG. 6 and described above, in which case the other or trailing end of tube 122 is closed by a plug secured within the opposite end wall of the device; or the container as shown may be introduced manually between the sheets of a film unit and caused to eject its fluid contents in an elongated mass across and between the sheets as it is withdrawn therefrom. For this purpose the trailing end of the container may be sealed by pinching the end section of the container and bonding the inner surfaces of the wall together to form a seal adapted to open in response to hydraulic pressure created in the fluid within the container. This form of container may be employed entirely manually without the aid of other devices merely by grasping the leading end of the container projecting through and beyond die 126 and grasping and holding the die stationary with respect to the sheets while the container is withdrawn from between the sheets through the die.

Still another form of container adapted to be employed in device 78 of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 10 and designated 134. Container 134 comprises an elongated cylindrical tube 136 closed at its trailing end 138 by a plug 140 which extends into and around trailing end 138 and is adapted to be secured in one end wall of device 78. The piston, indicated at 142, instead of comprising a portion of the device, is separate therefrom and is mounted within the tube adjacent its leading end 144. Piston 142 is connected to plug 140 by a filament 146 which extends within the tube so that the piston is retained substantially stationary with respect to the plug as the tube is withdrawn from the device through a suitable opening provided in the end wall thereof opposite plug 140. The leading end 144 of tube 136 is adapted to project beyond the end of device 78 where is may be manually grasped and may be closed, if desired, by such means as a plug 148. Container 134 may be employed without the aid of device 78 for ejecting its fluid contents between a pair of sheets. This is accomplished by manually introducing the container, in the direction of its leading end 144, between the sheets so that the leading end projects beyond the lateral margins of the sheets at one side and plug 140 projects beyond the lateral edges of the sheets at the opposite side thereof. The plug is manually grasped and held stationary while the leading end 144 of tube 136 is grasped for withdrawing the tube from between the sheets, piston 142 being retained stationary so as to cause ejection of the fluid contents of tube 136 from trailing end 138 between the sheets in an elongated mass.

The fluid container of the invention and the methods for distributing the fluid contents of the container find utility in various types of photographic processes and apparatus other than in the single exposure film unit illustrated. For example, the container can be provided in a single exposure film pack including an outer envelope or a plurality of containers can be provided in a multiple exposure magazine including a plurality of two-element film assemblages. A number f containers can be provided in a camera wherein the photosensitive and printreceptive sheets are provided separately in roll form for making a plurality of photographic prints in an elongated sheet.

The present invention thus provides novel techniques for supplying a predetermined quantity of photographic fluid in a manner which disposes of the fluids container so that simplified pressure-applying members may be employed to spread the fluid between a pair of photographic sheets. Significant advantages of this novel method of containing and dispensing the processing fluid reside in the fact that the fluid deposits which are achieved thereby are essentially independent of the rate at which the elongated tube is withdrawn from between the sheet materials. The tube can be withdrawn slowly, rapidly or at varying speed without affecting the uniformity with which its liquid content is deposited for the processing, with the result that more uniform distribution of the liquid is assured. This obviates the necessity for providing a large excess of the liquid to insure spreading of the liquid in a layer over the desired area and results in a considerable saving in the processing liquid. By causing the liquid to be ejected from the container by a piston moved within the container, complete discharge of the fluid contents of the container is assured, permitting a more accurate determination of the amount of processing fluid required since no allowance is required for fluid not completely discharged from the container.

Since certain changes may be made in the above product and process without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

A photographic product comprising an elongated tubular container, said container having at least one longitudinal rupturable seam extending from end to end thereof and adapted to open in response to movement of a separating element through said seam longitudinally of said container, a quantity of viscous photographic fluid within said container, a closure element located in one end of said container, said container being movable in the direction of its elongation away from said closure element, a die positioned around said container at a point remote from said one end, and a core within the opening of said die within said container in closing relation to the latter, said core being mounted on a bracket secured within the opening of said die and extending through said seam, said bracket comprising a separating element for rupturing said seam, said container being movable through said die in surrounding relation to said core for ejecting said fluid from one end of said container in an elongated mass, and for moving said bracket against said seam to rupture said seam as succeeding portions of said container are advanced through said die.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,036 Ryan Aug. 21, 1906 1,338,315 McAulifle Apr. 27, 1920 2,334,055 Amundson Nov. 9, 1943 2,361,647 Nyden Oct. 31, 1944 2,434,505 Miller Jan. 13, 1948 2,543,181 Land Feb. 27, 1951 2,647,056 Land July 28, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Durham: British Journal of Photography, vol. 75, August 31, 1928, page 532. 

